Giants-Bills: What to watch for tonight

By John Fennelly | Aug 3, 2014 | 10:03AM

The Giants have been have having some heated practices the past two weeks in preparation for tonight's preseason debut vs Buffalo in the Hall of Fame game.

As a Giant fan, you should be watching for the following...

Offense

It's all new, from the philosophy to the personnel. QB Eli Manning, WRs Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle and OTs Justin Pugh and Will Beatty (health permitting) are your returning starters. There is a new center (JD Walton), a new LG (Geoff Schwartz) and several new RBs. The TE spot is wide open and the team is in the throes of replacing the retired Chris Snee at RG.

Philosophy: New OC Ben McAdoo has never called a play in his pro career. Tonight, we'll get our first look at how he handles himself on the sidelines. The playcalling process promises to be a quick, clean one with the onus on getting the team to the line faster and with a better understanding of the streamlined playbook. Screen passes and a shorter, more precise route tree have been installed. Instead of Eli languishing in the pocket, you should see a more confident and efficient QB that delivers the ball to his targets in three seconds or less.

Who to focus on...

Eli is secure as a the starter at QB but the role of primary backup is wide open. Ryan Nassib has made some strides, but he has to sell the Giants on the fact that he's ready for the NFL.

Here's what coach Tom Coughlin said the other day when asked how Nassib was progressing:

"I expect to see him have plenty of playing time and take full advantage of it and prove to the world what he can do....Last year he was trying to find the door to the field, but this year he has a lot of offseason study, he has had a lot spring work, he was here on his own over the summer. He is a very meticulous, conscientiousness kid, studies well, and retains well. The experience factor has to come for Ryan right now through these preseason games."

Rashad Jennings has been one of the league's most underrated RBs over the past few seasons. This year, he will play the role of the featured back. All eyes will be on him and rookie Andre Williams tonight.

With Cruz and Randle the starters and top pick Odell Beckham, Jr. (hamstring) on the shelf, the fight for the remaining roster spots at WR begins. Jerrel Jernigan and Mario Manningham plan on sticking, so a group of free agent youngsters (insert names here) will be seeking to distinguish themselves. Of the group, Julian Talley may have an inside track, but the competition is wide open.

If TE Larry Donnell makes a few plays tonight, he'll continue to be the frontrunner in that competition.

Brandon Mosley will likely get the nod at RG with rookie Weston Richburg seeing some reps as well. Richburg may also see some reps at center.

Keep an eye on the FB competition as well. John Conner and Henry Hynoski are in a battle for a job that both seem very capable of handling.

Defense

It used to be all about pressure, but now after GM Jerry Reese fortified the back seven, it's a more balanced approach. Among the newcomers that should make a difference are free agent CBs Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Walter Thurmond III; free agent LB Jameel McClain and fifth round draft pick LB Devon Kennard.

MLB Jon Beason, the defensive centerpiece, is on PUP but could return for the final preseason game. In his absence McClain will take his spot and wear the headset. McClain is an accomplished veteran. As a Raven, he earned a Super Bowl ring and has years of experience playing alongside the great Ray Lewis.

Kennard is the most pleasant surprise in camp. He looks like a seasoned pro out there. Wherever the ball is, expect to find Kennard close by.

Thurmond can cover. As a member of last season's Legion of Boom in Seattle, Thurmond brings swagger, attitude and talent to a unit that has been taking on the chin the past few years.

S Will Hill is gone, but Stevie Brown is back after missing last season with a torn ACL. Can he return to form?

DE Damontre Moore is being counted on to get to the QB. In watching him, it appears he will do that. He better, because Jason Pierre-Paul and Mathias Kiwanuka need all the help they can get.

We know DTs Mike Patterson and Cullen Jenkins can do the job, but what about the youngsters behind them? The Giants have a lot riding on Jon Hankins and Marcus Kuhn. Rookies Jay Bromley and Kelcy Quarles will also get reps. Both need the work.

Special Teams

Steve Weatherford is the punter and Zak DeOssie the long snapper. The PK job is still TBD. Incumbent Josh Brown will face off against strong-legged Brandon McManus. Should be fun to watch.

The KR/PR jobs have free agents Quentin Demps, Trindon Holliday and Jernigan as the top candidates. RB Michael Cox is in the mix as well. These competitions morph drastically as the preseason unfolds, so, anything is possible.

Pugh says Giants offensive line is on the right track

8:05PM

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(William Hauser)

Giants G Justin Pugh believes the team's offensive line is "heading in the right direction" as the regular season approaches.

Pugh highlighted the success the team has had in practice and in the preseason opener while stressing the importance of carrying it over to games. The Steelers recorded three sacks against the Giants offense in the preseason opener on Friday.

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McAdoo leaves door open for Davis Webb to be No.2 QB

5:15PM

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(William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports)

Giants head coach Ben McAdoo has left the door open for rookie Davis Webb to be the team's No. 2 quarterback entering the season.

"I think we all have to be careful making assumptions," McAdoo said on Thursday. "Josh (Johnson) and Geno (Smith) are competing right now for the number two spot, and if that doesn't look the way we want it to look, Davis will get a crack."

Webb, a third-round pick out of the University of California, completed 8 of 16 passes with no touchdowns or interceptions during the Giants' preseason opener last Friday against the Steelers.

Damon Harrison impressed by Jay Bromley's progress

Bromley is battling rookie Dalvin Tomlinson and others for a starting job

By Scott Thompson | Aug 16 | 1:30PM

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(William Hauser)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Throughout camp last year, Damon "Snacks" Harrison was used to seeing Johnathan Hankins lining up next to him for each rep. This year, though, he has seen multiple jerseys swap in and out as the Giants try to figure out who will start next to him Week 1.

Who is the leading candidate? There hasn't been one player in particular who has stood out. But, according to the Giants' depth chart, Jay Bromley is ahead of the pack.

The fourth-year veteran has only four starts so far in his career, but his work ethic this offseason is one that is reminiscent of a seasoned starter like Harrison.

Injuries, updates from the defensive side, and more from Giants camp

Aug 15 | 7:33PM

Ralph Vacchiano and Justine Ward report from Giants training camp, where Ben McAdoo has taken a hard approach with his team.

Giants head coach Ben McAdoo spoke with reporters after practice on Tuesday. Here's what we learned...

McAdoo made players run to allow them to "gain their composure" because there were too many balls on the ground during practice.

He said his will be the most challenging week as the team prepares for three games in 11 days. "We're going to be a little heavy-legged and we're going to be sore, but we're going to build calluses," he said.

LB B.J. Goodson left practice with a sore back after jamming a receiver on a crossing route.

LB Devon Kennard is sore but will return on Thursday.

DT Corbin Bryant is dealing with an elbow injury and it is not clear how much time he will miss.

LB Calvin Munson, S Andrew Adams and LB Stansly Maponga received first team reps. McAdoo said they had "a great opportunity" but he will evaluate the practice to see how they performed.

LB Mark Herzlich, LB Keenan Robinson, and LB J.T. Thomas will need to compete and stay available in order to secure a role on the team.

Munson and Curtis Grant have "the best ability there is out there at this point in the linebacker group and that's availability." McAdoo praised their physicality and said they're improving because of all the snaps they are getting.

WR Brandon Marshall and and TE Evan Engram are still mastering the system and building chemistry with QB Eli Manning.

Brandon Marshall says feud with Sheldon Richardson is "dead"

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- More than a week after being ripped by ex-teammate Sheldon Richardson for being "drama-queenish" and quitting on the Jets last season, Brandon Marshall took the high road on Tuesday and pronounced his feud with Richardson "dead."

"I wasn't surprised," Marshall said when asked for the first time about Richardson's shots. "But there's so much good energy here and the environment is amazing, I don't really have time to go back to that. That's dead. It's dead."

Beckham's priority: winning the Giants their fifth Super Bowl title

In the latest installment of JRSportBrief on SNY.tv, JR makes the case for Odell Beckham Jr.'s chances to lead the Giants to a championship.

Ralph Vacchiano, SNY.tv

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Odell Beckham Jr. has put up crazy numbers in his first three NFL seasons, but he won't mind at all if those numbers suddenly go down. Because there's only one number -- and one thing -- that the New York Giants star receiver really cares about.

And he made that clear as he stood in the fieldhouse on Monday and stared at the five Super Bowl championship banners hanging on the walls, and told the Giants to clear room for No. 5.

"See that banner? That's all I care about," Beckham said as he looked around the building. "Honestly, there's one, two, three, four in here. I don't where they'd put the fifth one, but they're going to have to make room because we need it."

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. makes a one handed catch as he shows off his skills during the Pro Bowl Skills Showdown at Wide World of Sports. (Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports)

Ralph Vacchiano, SNY.tv

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The spectacular, one-handed catch that put Odell Beckham Jr. on the map as a rookie is now commonplace -- and really, just as spectacular as ever. During training camp practices, he warms up by catching passes one-handed; he fields punts one-handed; and occasionally he makes ridiculous, incredible, one-handed catches in team drills, too.

He did it again on Monday, making a leaping, one-handed, backhanded grab over Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins -- very similar to one he made on Sunday, too. The crowd roared as it does with just about everything Beckham does.

Aug 14 | 3:29PM

Giants star WR Odell Beckham Jr. continues to make highlight-reel plays at training camp as he hauled in a one-handed touchdown grab on Monday.

With CB Janoris Jenkins draped all over him, Beckham went up to snatch an Eli Manning fade with his fingertips.

Beckham has been making his signature one-handed grabs since training camp began. However, according to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano, head coach Ben McAdoo said, "I like two hands on the ball better than one," when asked about the catch.

Kerry Wynn vying for time at defensive end

Aug 14 | 12:50PM

New York Giants defensive end Kerry Wynn (72) reacts after recovering a fumble by the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)

Kerry Wynn knows he has plenty of work to do if he wants to compete for a spot at defensive end on the Giants this season, he told Newsday.

Wynn recorded three tackles, including a sack, in the team's preseason opener against the Steelers on Friday. However, Wynn is battling with Romeo Okwara, Devin Taylor and rookie Avery Moss for time at the position behind starter Jason Pierre-Paul.

"I'm an undrafted guy," he said. "I'm going to ride with that until my days in the league are done. I come in every day trying to prove something, trying to continue to get better. ... I couldn't take that chip off my shoulder. There are so many that if you take a few off, I'd still have tons of them on there. That's the way it is. Even if I took the one on the left off, I got three of them on the right."

Aug 14 | 10:50AM

Turzilli, a Rutgers University product, was an undrafted free agent that found his way on the 49ers' practice squad in 2015. He eventually made his way to the Titans that year where he totaled two catches for 25 yards in three games.

In April 2016, he was suspended four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing substance policy. This year, he signed to the Lions practice squad, but was waived on May 11.

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Darkwa plans to battle Perkins for starting running back spot

Aug 14 | 8:24AM

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New York Giants running back Orleans Darkwa (26) rushes against the Minnesota Vikings in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 24-10. (Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports)

While Giants head coach Ben McAdoo has stated that Paul Perkins has a chance to grab hold of starter's spot, Orleans Darkwa is looking to push for his own starting reps at running back.

"I think any running back, if you don't have the mentality that you want to be the guy, then what are you doing?" Darkwa said. "Obviously, he said [Perkins] is the starter, but I try to go in with the mentality that I want to be the starter and take his job. I think that pushes everybody."

Just 11 days after he was carted off the practice field with an ankle injury fearing the worst, Shepard practiced fully with his teammates on Sunday. There appeared to be very few restrictions on the second-year receiver, who also didn't seem to be favoring his injured ankle at all.

"They cut me loose today, so I am back to doing what I do," Shepard said in a statement released through the team. "I have been doing stuff leading up to this, so I felt like I was ready for a full practice."

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Even by Odell Beckham Jr.'s standards, this was a spectacular play: a leaping, one-handed, almost-backhanded catch at the 5-yard line, followed by enough body control to hang on, switch hands and scamper untouched into the end zone. There was a gasp from the crowd, followed by the loudest cheers of the day.

There was only one problem: about 35 yards behind him, the play had already blown up.

Goodson, Bromley make a statement in Giants preseason opener

Aug 13 | 9:28AM

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(Jeff Hanisch)

Giants LB B.J. Goodson and DT Jay Bromley both showed they can make an impact on the defense this season in the preseason opener against the Steelers.

Goodson has been aggressive and vocal since the start of camp, and that is something the Giants' coaches like to see from someone who could potentially be the starting middle linebacker this season. Leading is an area Goodson has been accustomed to.

"I'm a middle linebacker, I have no worries about taking control and being the leader of a huddle, that's what I've always done," Goodson told NorthJersey.com's Art Stapleton. "I was ready to go. It was just another chance to continue building what we're building, and I'm confident I can do the job, do what I need to do for us to be great."

Ben McAdoo discusses Giants first preseason game against the Steelers

Aug 12 | 4:40PM

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Aug 11, 2017; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Geno Smith (3) scrambles with the ball during the third quarter of a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports (Brad Penner)

The Giants dropped their first preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-12, at MetLife Stadium on Friday night.

Here is what head coach Ben McAdoo said about his players following the matchup...

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Landon Collins looking to avoid slow start this season

Aug 12 | 12:49PM

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Aug 11, 2017; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Fitzgerald Toussaint (33) is tackled by New York Giants defensive end Olivier Vernon (54) and safety Landon Collins (21) during the first quarter of a preseason game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports (Brad Penner)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The news that Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has been suspended for the first six games of the NFL season has the potential to cause a seismic shift in the NFC East. But it didn't cause many waves in the Giants locker room.

As far as the Giants are concerned, the Cowboys will be tough to beat in the regular season opener with or without the NFL's best young running back. So the news didn't change their outlook on the season one bit.

I don't care," said Giants linebacker Jonathan Casillas. "We get them how we get them. But they're still Dallas now. They still have a very good young quarterback who had a good, strong rookie year. They've got a strong receiver on the outside, one of the better slot receivers in the game, one of the greatest tight ends I ever played against. Those guys are still there. Their O-line is still intact."

Giants O-Line struggles and more from preseason opener

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - It's too early to make sweeping judgements, but the first impressions of the Giants offensive line on Saturday night were that they looked a lot like last year's offensive line.

Giants fail to find end zone in loss to Steelers, 20-12

Aug 11 | 10:15PM

SNY's Ralph Vacchiano recaps the Giants' 2017 preseason opener where they fell to the Steelers by a score of 20-12 at MetLife Stadium.

The Giants failed to score a touchdown as they lost to the PIttsburgh Steelers, 20-12, in their first preseason game.

Offense was provided by the two kickers, Aldrick Rosas and Mike Nugent, as they alternated field goal attempts and didn't miss one. Rosas showed off his powerful leg with a 52-yard field goal in the second quarter while Nugent split the uprights with a 45-yarder. They went a perfect 4-for-4 on the night.

Josh Johnson got the start at quarterback, and couldn't get anything going to start the night. He went 5-for-10 in the air for 31 yards.

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Manning, Pierre-Paul among healthy scratches for first preseason game

Aug 11 | 5:41PM

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(William Hauser)

Giants QB Eli Manning, DE Jason Pierre-Paul, and CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are listed as healthy scratches for the first preseason game against the Steelers Friday.

Wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall are not on the list, meaning they could see some time on the field.

Cowboys' Elliott suspended six games, will miss opener vs. Giants

Aug 11 | 12:57PM

Daily News Live reacts to the news that Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott has been suspended six games for violating the NFL's conduct policy.

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will be suspended for the first six games of the 2017 season under the NFL's domestic violence policy, the NFL announced Friday.

Among the games Elliott will miss include Dallas' Week 1 matchup with the New York Giants, Week 3 game against the Arizona Cardinals and Week 5 game against the Green Bay Packers.

A former girlfriend of Elliott reportedly accused him of assaulting her multiple times in a span of a week in July 2016, however charges were reportedly not filed against Elliott.

"Even when a player is not charged with a crime, 'he may still be found to have violated the [league's personal conduct] policy if the credible evidence establishes that he engaged in conduct prohinited by this Personal Conduct Policy," the NFL wrote in a letter to Elliott.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Head coach Ben McAdoo said he plans to treat the Giants' preseason opener the same way he treated last year's. That means there'll likely be no Eli Manning, no Odell Beckham Jr., no Jason Pierre-Paul, no Landon Collins or many other starters.

And the starters that do actually play probably won't play much at all.

Giants' training camp battles are starting to take shape

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The Giants open the preseason on Friday night, just two weeks after they opened camp. And with a veteran team with few training camp battles, very little has changed.

In those few battles, though, some very clear lines have been drawn. The action in the preseason games will determine everything of course, but as the games begin, here's a look at where the action stands in the five big battles I identified (hand handicapped) before camp began:

Rhett Ellison wants to win title with Giants

Aug 10 | 8:39AM

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Minnesota Vikings tight end Rhett Ellison (85) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Detroit Lions in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Lions won 22-16 in overtime. (Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports)

After spending the first five years of his career with the Minnesota Vikings, tight end Rhett Ellison is now with the Giants and wants to win a championship.

The 28-year-old signed a four-year, $18 million contract to sign with New York this offseason. During his time with the Vikings, the team participated in just two playoff games.

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GEICO SportsNite: Backup QB competition heats up

Aug 10 | 1:26AM

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Giants training camp00:01:42

Ralph Vacchiano breaks down the latest from Giants training camp as the backup QB competition heats up between Geno Smith and Josh Johnson.

Collins wants to be recognized as NFL's top defensive player

Aug 9 | 8:25PM

New York Giants safety Landon Collins (21) during game 16 of the NFL International Series against the Los Angeles Rams at Twickenham Statdium. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

After finishing in third for NFL Defensive Player of the Year award last season, Giants safety Landon Collins wants to take home the prize this year, he told the New York Daily News.

"It's a dream of mine. It's a goal of mine," Collins said "I was shut out of it in college. I was mad about that, with the Thorpe Award. They gave it to some kid, wherever he came from, and I don't think he's doing nothing now in the league. I rightfully should have won it then, and at the same time I feel like I was robbed last year."

Davis Webb 'amped' for Giants debut

Aug 9 | 7:44PM

As the Giants prepare for their opening preseason game against the Steelers on Friday, rookie Davis Webb is hoping to make an impression at quarterback.

Davis, a third-round pick out of the University of California, hopes he gets the opportunity to play under center at MetLife Stadium.

"I feel ready to go, studied my butt off, gotten every rep this entire camp," Webb said. "I might not be in there, but mentally I've been pretty into every single rep. So, I haven't missed one. I feel good about it, and just looking forward to playing again. It's been a while."

Giants QB Eli Manning says WR Brandon Marshall reminds him of Plaxico Burress, who played with Manning and the Giants from 2005 to 2008.

"Yeah, I mean, they're both similar height," Manning said about Marshall and Burress, according to ESPN. "And just smarts on football, body control, being able to go up and get the ball. So yeah, I'd say some definite similarities there. Obviously with Plaxico, [I] had a number of years playing with him, so I knew what he was going to do, knew how to read his body. I knew whether it was going to be a back shoulder versus a fly or a jump ball. So we need more live reps doing that."

Geno Smith still in 'Chapter 1' of his career despite transition to Giants

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The last time the world saw Geno Smith on a football field he was the embattled, former starting quarterback of the Jets, briefly given his job back by default. Then, he was carted away with a torn ACL and his time with the Jets - and maybe as an NFL starter - were over.

But here he is again, getting ready for another game at a familiar stadium, this time in a battle for the job of backup quarterback with the Giants. He feels better, stronger, smarter and healthier, and he certainly seems a lot happier than he was.

Undrafted rookie Chad Wheeler gets first-team reps at left tackle

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The Giants have remained steadfastly committed to Ereck Flowers as their starting left tackle all spring and summer long. But on Wednesday afternoon, the door opened just a crack for a possible change.

Late in practice, Chad Wheeler, an undrafted rookie from USC, replaced Flowers with the first team offensive line and took the final three reps of full-team drills. The 23-year-old Flowers wasn't hurt, and there had been no previous signs of a regular rotation at tackle during the summer.

Giants sign OL Corin Brooks, waived/injured OL Jessamen Dunker

Aug 9 | 9:40AM

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Aug 20, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; A general view of a New York Giants helmet on the bench during the game against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports (Kevin Hoffman)

The Giants have announced they signed OL Corin Brooks, and waived/injured OL Jessamen Dunker.

Brooks went undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft, but signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as a rookie free agent. He only lasted a few days before being released.

The University of Texas-Permian Basin (Division 2) alumni stands at 6-foot-3, 312 pounds, and primarily plays left tackle. He also had stints of playing guard in college.

Dunker missed one practice last week due to a foot injury. He left Monday's practice early, and did not participate on Tuesday. If he is not claimed off waivers, the Giants will send him to the IR.

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GEICO SportsNite: Brandon Marshall, backup QBs

Aug 9 | 12:59AM

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GEICO Sportsnite: Giants camp00:02:34

Taylor Rooks and Ralph Vacchiano report from Giants camp on the Richardson-Marshall feud and speculate on a front-runner for backup QB.

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John Mara says teams are not blackballing Colin Kaepernick

Aug 8 | 8:49PM

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New York Giants co-owner John Mara looks on during Game 16 of the NFL International Series against the Los Angeles Rams at Twickenham Stadium. (Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports Images)

Giants owner John Mara took to the airwaves on Tuesday to slam the notion that teams are blackballing QB Colin Kaepernick, but said that there are "issues" with signing the veteran quarterback that have "scared some teams away."

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Losing can bring out the worst in people. It can make others see the worst in people, too. And that might explain why the Giants see Brandon Marshall as a leader who can bring their locker room together, while Sheldon Richardson sees him as a "drama queen" who ripped the Jets apart.

Aug 8 | 10:20AM

Jets DE Sheldon Richardson has taken another shot at former teammate, Giants WR Brandon Marshall, as he called him "drama queenish" after games last season.

In an interview on The Michael Kay Show, Richardson recalled how Marshall supposedly acted following Jets' losses last season. It was the reason the two had altercations in the first place.

"That whole situation was sticky because we lose and he did little things that were drama queenish," Richardson said. "Dogging out this guy, that guy. It's everybody's fault except his. And there's a reason this, a reason that, and everybody pointing the finger when you losing, and then no one wants to say something to him. Then I say something to him, and I'm the criminal, the bad guy, and the media just ran with it."

Jacob Huesman aiming to make Giants roster as converted fullback

Aug 8 | 9:27AM

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(Jim Brown)

A former quarterback in college, FB Jacob Huesman is embracing his transition as he gets a shot to make the Giants roster this season.

Huesman was a four-year starter at Tennessee-Chattanooga where he totaled 8,197 yards and 64 touchdowns as well as 4,051 rushing yards and 43 rushing touchdowns. However, after going undrafted in 2015, Huesman couldn't find a team that liked his quarterback skills.

His agent believed it was time for a change, and Huesman figured gaining some weight and learning how to long snap would give him the best chance to keep his football career alive. The Giants took on a chance on him last December when they signed him to the practice squad.

Manning building rapport with 'great leader' Marshall

Aug 7 | 7:00PM

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. (Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports)

Giants quarterback Eli Manning said he is building a stronger rapport with Brandon Marshall as the veteran wide receiver looks ahead to his first season with the Giants.

"Brandon's been great," Manning said. "Every day trying to learn, always has questions for me and we're trying to figure out what he can do better, how we can get on the same page. So, I think he's been dialed in and been a great leader and just setting the example for how to be prepared for every practice."

Marshall, who is entering his 12th season in the league, is coming off a down season in which he caught 59 passes for 788 yards and three touchdowns with the Jets. In 2015, he recorded a career-high 14 touchdowns with 109 catches for 1,502 yards, which were both the second most totals in his career.

Kennard hopes Giants' defense can maintain high level of play in 2017

Aug 7 | 5:16PM

New York Giants linebacker Devon Kennard during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. (Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports)

Giants linebacker Devon Kennard said he hopes New York's defense can maintain its high energy a year after giving up the second fewest points in the league.

"I want to see us set the tempo from ground zero, and that's me personally," Kennard said. "If safeties and linebackers are communicating well, and we are getting the things that we need to to the D-line, from a linebacker perspective, I think it starts there. If we are doing that and being physical, I like where we are headed."

The Giants bring back a strong defensive core with a defensive line that features Jason Pierre-Paul, Damon Harrison and Olivier Vernon; linebackers Kennard and Jonathan Casillas; and a secondary of Eli Apple, Janoris Jenkins, Landon Collins and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. By retaining so many defenders, Kennard said the team's familiarity with the system and each other can only help moving forward.

"We already know so much about the defense, so now we can get into the little details and nuances that maybe a year or two ago we weren't able to hit the same way because there were so many guys trying to learn the defense," said Kennard, who recorded 61 combined tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery while playing all 16 games last season.